Camino Island Summary
John Grisham

Camino Island Overview

In Camino Island, author John Grisham delves into the world of the black market for literature. The novel is based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s handwritten manuscripts being stolen from Princeton University. The manuscripts were sold for a mere one million dollars. Mercer, an aspiring writer, agreed to gather information on Bruce Cable, a bookstore owner and the man suspected of having bought the manuscripts. Mercer uncovered the evidence she needed to prove Bruce had at least one of the manuscripts; however, she suddenly doubted the morality of her decision to turn him in to authorities. In a surprise twist, Bruce suspected he was being monitored and brokered a deal with Princeton through a third party to return the manuscripts for a price. The novel deals with greed as a motivator, shades of grey in both moral and legal issues, and the difficulty in making a living in literature.